Work Overview

Chad Gadya (one little goat) is a
playful cumulative children's song in Aramaic and Hebrew and the
title of my quartet. Itis the last of
the songs sung at the conclusion of thePassover Seder, the Jewish ritual feast that marks the
beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Ittells the story of a little goat bought by a
father for the mere pittance of two zuzim (coins). There are many
exegesis of the song but in my view, Chad Gadya is more than
anything else about the chain of events that brought the world
into existence - representing the natural order of things. It
also (for me) relates to the concept of the Tree of Life, a
central symbol of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), that depicts ten
stages that brought the world into being.

The quartet takes inspiration from the lyrics
and the cumulative form of the children's liturgical song Chad
Gadya, however, it is not by any means meant to be a religious
piece. I composed short motives (in an alternating rhythm of 12/8
and 11/8) that expend continuously, until a point where there is
a twist in the music (perhaps the 'angel of death' from the
original song) and the mood changes to some sort of a
uninhibited-sounding musical image. Chad Gadya is an energetic
piece in fast tempi, and I believe, quite challenging to
perform.

Finally, it is my wish that the audience will
come up with their own understanding of the music and its
message, and despite my suggestion here, I would like toleave the piece open to interpretation.

Here are the lyrics of the
song:

Verse 1:

One little goat, one little goat:

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 2:

One little goat, one little goat:

The cat came, and ate the goat

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 3:

One little goat, one little goat:

The dog came, and bit the cat, that ate the
goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 4:

One little goat, one little goat:

The stick came, and beat the dog, that bit the
cat, that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 5:

One little goat, one little goat:

The fire came, and burned the stick, that beat
the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 6:

One little goat, one little goat:

The water came, and extinguished the fire, that
burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate
the goat, that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 7:

One little goat, one little goat:

The ox came, and drank the water, that
extinguished the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog,
that bit the cat, that ate the goat, that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 8:

One little goat, one little goat:

The slaughterer came, and killed the ox, that
drank the water, that extinguished the fire, that burned the
stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat,
that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 9:

One little goat, one little goat:

The angel of death came, and slew the
slaughterer who killed the ox, that drank the water, that
extinguished the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog,
that bit the cat, that ate the goat, that ate the goat,

Which my father bought for two zuzim.

Verse 10:

One little goat, one little goat:

Then came the holy one, and smote the angel of
death, who slew the slaughterer, who killed the ox, that drank
the water, that extinguished the fire, that burned the stick,
that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, that ate
the goat,